Instrument mounting



June 21, 1949. l A. b. coLmAN INSTRUMENT vMOUNTING Filed Oct. 1'7,A 1945Patented June 21, 1949 UNITED S;"IATESY PATENT GF F I CEl 2.474196.INSTRUMENT MoUNTiNG Alfred'V Donald Coltman, Vancouver, "BritishGolumbia, Canada, assigner to Graflex, I-nc., Roch. ester, N. Y., .-a.corporationof Delaware Application ctober 17, 1945, Seri'alNo. 622,732"

14 Claims.

Ths invention relatesv to instrument mountings and in` particularAmountings for cameras,V

transi'tsv and thelike'.

It is `an object ofthe'l present inventionftoprovide a simple instrumentmounting-'Which may ber adjusted to dispose?v ther instrument at anypredetermined' angle toy its.` normal horizontally disposed" position:at'l anv upwardly or'l down,-k

Wa'rdly directedY incline to vthe' normal horizontal plane; tiltedsdevvise atfan-angle to the normal` horizontal plane;L and/orf'svtung'to' befdisp'osedf at' a selected angle radially ofi thecen'tralVertical axis'of the mounting,

Av further" object of f thexin'vention is to provide a device ofthisli'indwherein.tliesidewise'tilting of the' instrument iseffectedWhile: maintaining the instrument directly adjacent tothe centralvertical axis ofthe mounting;

A still further" object ofv the inventionris to provide a device of thiskindwherein the adjust-- ing and locking means in each instance isreadily accessible and constitute simpleelements;

A- further object of the invention is to provide a` device of this kindof` compact design` and- Which` is capable of smooth operation.

Withthese and other objects in View the invention `generally comprises amounting having a fixed baseplate designed to besecured on a tripod orthelike, a pedestal rising therefromand rotatablyV adjustable relativelythereto including means for locking thepedestal in adjustedfpostionrelativelyy to the stationary base, the said pedestal including anarcuate guidewayand a quadrant rotatable in saidr guidevvay; thequadrant carrying. the. instrument mount-ing element and.l including ameans vof adjusting the instrument mountingelement to an incline to the.

transverse axisof the quadranti-regardless as to itsangularfposition,lwhereby the linstrumentmay bedisposed-'in any predetermined angularposition-.-

The invention will. be` clearlyvv understood by referenceV to thefollowingfdetailed specification takenvk in conjunction.' with the*accompanying- 2 zontal with normal-Y horizontal Y position indicated.'by dotted lines.

Fig.-4= isa longitudinal section taken througli-. the instrumentmountingtoillustrate various de.

. tails of construction; and

Fig. 5 is la'fragmentary top plan vievvI of par-.tlv ofthe mounting at-oneside thereof to illustrate;A the-nature ofthe guidewayvprovided fortiltingthef instrument sidewise at an angle to the hori. Zontal:

Referring to the drawings, A indicates thein. strument mountingas aWhole which includes a.' base plate IU formed preferably with acentral." screw-threadedmountingbore Il, carried bythe screw-threadedsleeve I2,- through which the base I0`is-rigidly1secured ona-tripod orother suitabley support.Y The mounting includes a pedestal-I3? formedwith a atbase. I4 whichi is designedvslidek ablyto-bearon the top ofthebase plate I0 so., that it can-be rotatedon the base plate-to dise. posethe` pedestal at vany. desired-angle radially of' the centralverticalaxis ofn the mounting.` A. The base Ill-is centrally orificed. rotatablyto fill, over the sleeve I2r and. a locking member I5 is.Iscrew-threaded onthe sleeve I2 and designed to be rotated-thereon toclamp the base I4 rigidly on the base plate Iwhen ithas been rotatedtdthe desired position to adjustment. Conversely,7 by: releasing thelocking.- member I5 the basev I 4' is left f-ree torotate relatively tothe fixed base plateJD. A suitable Washer of fibre or the likel I6;` maybe included as part of the locking construe; tion. Moreover, it -Will benoted that the locking member I5fis disposedv Within a recessed portionIf'I of. the pedestal I3 and is, therefore, readily ac'r. cessible fromboth sides of the pedestal forconvenient adjustment, the sleeve I2 beingdisposed,v concentric withv the central Vertical axisY of the? mounting.A.

Thepedestal I3 terminates in an arcuate holder' I8 centeredrelatively tothe central Vertical axis;

ofthe mounting and designed adjustably tore'.- ceive the quadrant i9,the arcuate periphery ofy whichis formed, with a guide rib 20 (Fig. 5)mit ting Within the guide slot 2l which opensV intoA the arcuateguideway 22 Aof the holder I8. The guidevvay 22 is designed to receivethe slider plate: 273 which is carried rigidly on a suitablev pinpassing upwardly through the central guide rib 2l) ofthe quadrantV I9.The pin 2liv passes up- Wardly freely through the quadrant I9l and'is"screw-threaded at its upper end as at 25. The quadrantV I9`iscentrallyrecessed'as at 28 and'the sc'rewltl'ireadedportion of Vthep'in2t proj ect's into its recess. It is engaged by a locking headjZI;

which is formed with a screw-threaded bore 28 for cooperativescrew-threaded engagement with the pin 24. A suitable washer 29 isdisposed between the base and the recess 26 and the locking head 21. Anoperating handle 30 is secured to the locking head 21 so that byswinging the handle to one side and causing the head to rise on the pinby reason of the screw-threaded connection therewith, locking pressureon the sliding plate is released and, therefore, the quadrant I9 may betilted (such as shown in Fig. 2) in any desired position within the arcof the holder I8. Similarly it can be locked in the selected positionmerely by swinging the handle 3D towards the other side to cause aclamping of the plate 29.

From the upper portion of the quadrant I9 a pair of lugs 3| and 32project in spaced apart relation, one on each side of the centralvertical axis of the mounting. These lugs have the transverse circularopenings 33 aligned with one another. The openings 33 are designed toreceive the ends of a preferably hollow cylindrical shaft 34 which formsa direct mounting for the instrument holding element 35. This isprovided with a central oriiiced lug or the like 36 designed to berotatably carried by the shaft 34, the lug being integral with theholding element 35, the latter being split as at 31 in such a way as tointersect the central orifice of the lug and, therefore, form a means ofclamping the lug with respect to the shaft 34. In this connection. theinstrument mounting element 35 is provided with an operating handle 38which has a screwthreaded shank 3S designed to enter into ascrewthreaded bore 40 in the element 35 which extends on each side ofthe split 31. Therefore, by rotating the handle 38, the screw-threadedshank may be screwed into the bore 4- to a substantial extent, servingto pull the split portions towards each other and effect a clampingaction on the shaft 34. Similarly, by rotating the handle 38 slightly tothe left, the split portions are permitted to spread apart thusloosening the grip on the shaft. When loosened in this way, the handlemay be operated to swing the instrument mounting element 35 to variousinclines from the horizontal, such as illustrated in Fig. 3, and lockedin the selected position as above described.

The instrument mounting element 35 includes a mounting plate 4I fastenedthereto and which is preferably formed with an upper frictional surface42, such as an knurled surface. Below the mounting plate, the element 35is transversely recessed as at 43 and, centrally of this element andtraversing the recess 43, is a mounting screw 44 provided with anenlarged head 45 for operating purposes. The screw 44 is designed topass through an orifice in the mounting plate 4l and into thescrew-threaded bore of a camera or other instrument formed with such abore for mounting on a tripod. The instrument, therefore, is designed tobear upon the upper surface of the plate 4i and a locking element 45 isdisposed within the recess 43 and in screw-threaded engagement with thescrew 44. This locking element is designed to project from each end ofthe recess 43 beyond the edges of the mounting element 35. Therefore, byrotating the locking element 45 in one direction, the instrument can besecurely locked in position on plate 4l, whereas by reversing thelocking element the instrument is loosened sufficiently to permitremoval of the screw 44 to release it completely from its mounting.

The structure, as is apparent, presents a very compact unit whichprovides for the complete angular adjustment of the instrument which itmay carry. For instance, in a very simple manner, by manipulation of thelocking member I5 the pedestal base i4 may be loosened and rotatedrelatively to the fixed base I il. This will permit adjustingof theinstrument to any angle radially of the central longitudinal axis of theunit. Moreover, by manipulation of the locking head 21 to release theplate 23 from locked position, the quadrant I9 may be rotated sidewiseto dispose the mounting plate 35 at selected inclines to the horizontal.Finally, by releasing the handle 3B so as to spread apart the splitportions 31 of the mounting element 35, the latter may be rotatedforewards or backwards on the shaft 34 to dispose the instrument at anyselected incline to the horizontal.

The device is very quick to manipulate since the locking members I5 and21 are readily accessible by reason of the substantial rests providedand the character of the locking members protruding therefrom, whereasthe rotational manipulation of the handle 38 in one direction or anotherto release or lock the mounting element 35 relatively to the shaft 34constitutes a very simple and readily performed operation. As a result,therefore, I provide a simple compact mounting for instruments whichwill permit the angular adjustment of the instrument relative to thehorizontal and the vertical as well as radially to the centrallongitudinal axis. This not only can be achieved very quickly, but it isapparent that the instrument may be quickly and positively locked in anyset position.

By reason of the simple nature of the various elements making up theunit and the compact nature of the unit, it is obvious that it lendsitself to precision manufacture and mass production so that an accurateunit may be produced economically.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. An instrument mounting unit comprising a base plate, a pedestalrising therefrom and terminating in an arcuate holder, the concavitywhereof faces upward, an instrument mounting element having acooperating, downwardly facing, arcuate contour operatively connected tosaid arcuate holder, the latter being centered with respect to thevertical axis of the pedestal, the said instrument holding element beingarcuately movable in the said upwardly facing, arcuate holder to adjustsaid holder to varied inclined positions relative to the horizontal, thesaid instrument-holding element having extending upwardly therefrom atleast one bearing projection and a shaft received in the latter, saidinstrument mounting unit having an instrument holding element receivedupon said shaft and adapted to be turned angularly thereon to change theposition of the instrument, the instrument carried by the instrumentmounting unit being disposed substantially adjacent to the centralvertical axis of the unit when said mounting element is in one of itsinclined adjusted positions, and means for locking said instrumentholding element in a selected position of adjustment.

2. An instrument mounting unit comprising a substantially horizontalbase plate, an upwardly extending pedestal rotatably carried on saidbase plate and rotatable in a substantially horizontal plane to selectedpositions of adjustment relatively thereto, -means including a threadedlocking member for locking said pedestal rigidly with said base plate inselected adjusted position, said gevaren upwardly'y extending' pedestalterminating iny an arcuate holder,l the concavity whereof' facesupwardly, instrument mounting means including an4 elementhaving adownwardlyr facing arcuate contour fitting.. with the upwardly facing,arcuate contour of.- thev holder androtatably adjustably thereon. in. aplane at righty angles to the rotational planeof adjustment of thepedestal, said mounting means` beingrotatabley sidewise to inclinedVpositionsY relatively to the horizontal and being adapted. to dispose aninstrument carried. therebyadjacent to the central'. vertical axis of'thev unitwhen adjusted'to said inclined positions, adjustingmeans in.connection with, the instrument' mounting means for adjusting theVinstrument mounting forward or backward at an incline to .the axialplane thereof; an operating handle connectedwith said mounting means andoperable to move. said 'instru-ment to selected positions of adjustmentradially. of the central vertical axis. inclined to thehorizontalinplanes atright angles to. one another; and lockingzmeans forretaining thelin'strument mounting means in` any of itsseveral positionsof angular adjustment.

3. An instrument' mounting unit comprising a base plate, a pedestalrising therefrom and terminating in an arcuate holder,` an instrumentmountingr element having acooperating arcuate contour operatively.connected. to said arcuate holder, the latter being -centered'withrespect to the vertical axis of thepedestal, the said'instrument-holding element being arcuately movable in the arcuate holderto adjust said'holder. to varied inclined. positions relative to thehorizontal, .the instrument .carried 'thereby being disposedsubstantially adjacent to the central vertical axis ofthe unit when saidvmounting element is in oneof itsv inclined adjusted positions, andmeans for locking said instrument-holding element in aselectedvpositionV of adjustment, the

said" arcuate instrument holder being formed with an arcuatechannel-having a slot communieating. therewith throughout the upperarcuate surfacethereof,- the instrument holder including a peripheralrib throughout its arcuate surf-ace designed to enter into the slot ofthe holder,r and a securing element to secure the instrument mounting.element rigidly with. the. instrument. holder inselected positions ofadjustment,..in.

cluding a clampingl element disposed. in thechan.-

nel and overlapping the. edges of said slot, a pin.

connected therewith and. passing through. said slot and the instrumentmounting element, and a locking head in connection with the pin forlocking and releasing the clamping element' in and from frictionalengagement with interior walls of the channel.

4. An instrumentmounting,unit. comprising a base plate, a pedestalrising therefrom and terminating irri an arcuate holder, the concavitywhereof faces upward, an instrument mounting element having.a-Lcooperating downwardly-facing arcuate contour operatively connectedto said arcuate holder, the latter' being centered with respect'ftothevertical axis of* the pedestal," the said instrument-holding elementbeing arcuately movable in the said upwardlyfacing arcuate holder toadjustsaid-holdertovariedinclined positions relativel tothe horizontal,the-instrument carriedthereby being disposed substantially yadjacent to'thecentral vertical axis. of the unit when said` mounting element isin.V oneof its` inclined; adjustedpositions, and means forlocking'said"instrument'holding element in a selected position. of:adjustment, the said;v arcuate;-

holders' being" formed with` an arcuate; channel havingfaf slot:-communicatingv therewith throughout'fthe upper arcuate surface thereof,the instrument holder.- including a peripheral rib throughout, itsarcuatesurface designed to enter intoth'efslot' of the holder, and? asecuring element to secure the instrument mounting element-yrigidly"withf the instrument holder in selected positions of'adjustment; including a clamping elementi disposed. in :the channel, apin connected therewith' andipassing through said slot and theinstrument i mounting element, and a locking head"=infr connection withthe pin for locking and releasingthe clamping; element in and fromfrictionalf engagement with interior walls of the channel;saidiinstrument'mounting element including a-pair offlugs'projectingupwardly therefrom; ine spaced:y apart relation, said lugsbeingdisposed. onoppositesides. of the central vertical axis of theunit, a transverse shaft carried by saidy lugsA andan .instrumentmounting swingably carried.onz-saidvtransverse shaft designed to swing-lrelatively thereto in. a. plane at right angles to theplanerofim'ovement 'of theinstrument mounting element to disposeftheinstrument mounting.

andthe instrumentv carried thereby at an incline at"` right' angles to`thel plane of inclined adjustmentl ofthe-instrument mounting element,and;

means for'locking said instrument mounting in adjustedfposition.

5vAni instrument mounting unit comprising a base-plate; .azpe'destalrising therefrom and terminating inan.4 arcuatev holder, an instrumentvmounting elementrv having a cooperating arcuate contour operativelyconnected to said arcuate holder androtatable. to dispose said mountingelement' in' inclined: positions, means for locking said'vinstrumentmounting element rigidly with the;l arcuate" holder in. selectedpositions of adjustmentsincl'udinga:clamping means and a locking-headforlocking and releasing the clamping means, said instrument mountingyelement being centrally recessed," said` locking head beingdisposed'within'thee-central recess and being accessible opposite'sides' of the instrument mounting element, saidarcuate` holder beingcentered with respect to the vertical axis of the pedestal/1:,v thevinstrument carried by said instrumentA mounting-'element' being disposedsubstantially adjacent'to'thecentral vertical axis of the unit when:said'mounting elementis in one of its inclinedtadjusted positions.

6^.A mr instrumentmounting'unit comprisingv a base'plate, apedestalfrotatably carried on said base plateandnrotatable to selectedpositions of adjustment. relatively thereto, means for locking saidpedestal-'rigidly withfsaid base plate in selected? adjusted" position,said pedestal terminating in" an.l arcuatel holder, an instrument mentmounting element being disposed substantially adjacent to the centralvertical axis of the unit when said mounting element is in one of itsinclined adjusted positions, said pedestal being centrally recessed,said locking means for the pedestal being disposed within the recess ofthe pedestal and accessible from opposite sides thereof.

7. An instrument mounting unit as claimed in claim 6 in which themounting element having an operating arcuate contour has its arcuateface downwardly directed and the arcuate holder has its concavity facingupward, and wherein said mounting element has a at upper face and havingupwardly extending therefrom a split-fitting having a transverse orificeadapted to receive a transversely extending shaft, said shaft supportedin said split-fitting, and a member angularly adjustable about saidshaft, together with means to lock said member in adjusted positionabout said shaft.

8. An instrument mounting-unit adapted to be received on a tripod orlike support and adjust-- able in one plane with respect thereto andalso having two distinct other adjustments about two different axes atan angle to each other and each at an angle to said rst mentionedadjustment, said mounting-unit for the foregoing purpose comprising abase receivable upon Ya base plate of the tripod or like support andadjustable in a iiat plane on such base plate, said mountingunit alsohaving an arcuate, member-receiving holder above said base plate, aquadrant-like member received in said arcuate holder so as to be capableof being turned upon its axis through a wide angle in said arcuateholder, with means pertaining only to said quadrant-like member forlocking said quadrant-like member at any adjusted position on its axisin said arcuate member, said mounting-unit having extending from saidquadrant-like member at least one bearing projection and a shaftreceivable in the latter, said mounting-unit having aninstrument-holding element receivable upon said shaft so as to be turnedangularly thereon. and means distinct from said locking means to securesaid instrument-holding element in ang7 adjusted position on said shaft.

9. An instrument mounting-omit in accordance with claim 8, but whereinthe arcuate memberreceiving holder has a concaved upper face receivingthe quadrant-like member, the latter having a cenvexed lower facereceived upon said concaved upper face of said arcuate holder, saidquadrant-like member having a substantially flat upper face,shaft-supporting means upwardly extending from said flat face, a shaftreceived in said supporting means, an instrument-holding elementrotatably supported upon said shaft and means to secure said holdingelement in any desired position of rotative adjustment upon said shaft.

10. A mechanical structure for supporting an instrument, said structurehaving an instrumentsupporting member rotatably adjustable about avertical axis, locking means for locking said instrument-supportingmember about said vertical axis only, horizontal adjustment means forrotating said instrument-supporting member about a horizontal axis,locking means for locking said instrument-supporting member about saidhorizontal axis only, a second horizontal adjusting means for saidinstrument-supporting member, having a horizontal axis displaced bysubstantially ninety degrees from the axis of the aforesaid horizontaladjusting means, and locking means for locking saidinstrument-supporting member about said second horizontal axis only,whereby any one of said adjustments may be made by the locking meanstherefor, without disturbing either of the other two adjustments.

11. A mechanical structure in accordance with claim 10, but whereinthere is provided at the lower end thereof a base receivable upon atripod or like support and adjustable about said vertical axis on saidtripod, to constitute said first mentioned adjustment, said twohorizontal adjustment means being located above the said means foradjusting said instrument-supporting member about a vertical axis.

12. A mechanical structure in accordance with claim l0, but wherein oneof said horizontal adjustment means includes an arcuate memberreceivingholder and a quadrant-like member received upon said arcuate holder, andwherein the other of said horizontal adjustment means includes ahorizontally supported shaft and a member rotatably adjustable aboutsaid shaft and adapted to have the instrument-holding element securedthereto.

13. A mechanical structure for supporting an instrument, said structurehaving an instrumentsupporting member rotatably adjustable about avertical axis, locking means for locking said instrument-supportingmember about said vertical axis only, horizontal adjustment means forrotating said instrument-supporting member about a horizontal axis,locking means for locking said instrument-supporting member about saidhorizontal axis only, a second horizontal adjusting means for saidinstrument-supporting member, having a horizontal axis displaced througha substantially horizontal arc from the axis of the aforesaid horizontaladjusting means, and locking means for locking saidinstrument-supporting member about said second horizontal axis only,whereby any one of said adjustments may be made by the locking meanstherefor, without disturbing either of the other two adjustments.

14. A mounting-unit for cameras and other instruments adapted to bereceived upon a tripod or like support and bodily adjustable in asubstantially horizontal plane with respect to the top supportingsurface of said tripod, the instrument-receiving portion of saidmounting-unit being also independently adjustable about each of twodifferent horizontal axes that are at an angle to each other, saidmounting unit having supports for said two axes relatively close to thesupported camera or other instrument.

ALFRED DONALD COLTMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 258,558 Cook May 30, 1882 508,319Ivarson Nov. '7, 1893 696,167 Forester Mar. 25, 1902 '718,445 FliehmannJan. 13, 1903 875,034 Wright Dec. 31, 1907 1,794,726 Mitchell Mar. 3,1931 1,854,951 Neuwirth Apr. 19, 1932 2,244,089 Swartz June 3, 19412,261,426 Willcox Nov. 4, 1941 2,318,910 Zucker May 11, 1943

